Biography
Kōichi Saitō (斎藤 耕一 Saitō Kōichi, 3 February 1929 – 28 November 2009) was a Japanese film director and photographer. Born in Tokyo, Saitō started studying at Rikkyo University but ended up graduating from the Tokyo College of Photography (currently Tokyo Polytechnic University). He was initially a movie stills photographer at Nikkatsu before launching his own production company, Saito Productions, and directing his first film, Tsubuyaki no Jō, "a low-budget, independent film with a visual flair that earned comparisons with Claude Lelouch and with Richard Lester’s Beatles films, including A Hard Day’s Night". Some of his first films were youth movies featuring Group Sounds music. He came to prominence in the early 1970s with a series of movies about young people escaping to or searching for their identity in the countryside. He won the best director award at the 1972 Mainichi Film Awards. His Tsugaru jongarabushi was selected the best film of 1973 in the Kinema Junpo poll of critics. Saitō continued directing into his seventies and also made some documentaries. He was awarded the Order of the Rising Sun (4th Class, Gold Rays with Rosette) in 2000.
Directed 35
2000s
- 2004
Onigiri: Arcadia monogatari
Director
- 2001
Jesus is My Boss
Director
1990s
- 1999
YaYaBaka Yuttari-San
Director
- 1996
Hotel Rose
Director
- 1993
Bokyo
Director
- 1990
Representative Director Detective
Director
Ningen no sabaku
Director
1980s
- 1988
The Blue Mountains '88
Director
1970s
- 1978
Invitation from the Beach
Director
- 1977
Seasonal Wind
Director
Aspiration
Director
- 1976
Frozen River
Director
- 1975
The Story of Yumeji Takehisa: In Love
Director
Someday, Somewhere
Director
- 1974
The Homeless
Director
- 1973
Tsugaru Folksong
Director
Second Chance
Director
Kigeki: koko kara hajimaru monogatari
Director
- 1972
Ambition in The Mirror
Assistant Director
The Rendezvous
Director
- 1971
Kigeki: Hanayome sensô
Director
Tabiji: ofukuro-san yori
Director
Memai
Director
Secret Flower
First Assistant Director
- 1970
Waterfront Blues
Director
1960s
- 1969
The Sea Doesn't Look Back
Director
Dear Tomorrow
Director
- 1968
The Wonderful Ones
Director
- 1967
Whispering Joe
Director
Wrote 17
2000s
- 2004
Onigiri: Arcadia monogatari
Writer
- 2001
Jesus is My Boss
Writer
1970s
- 1979
- 1978
Invitation from the Beach
Novel, Screenplay
- 1975
Someday, Somewhere
Screenplay
- 1973
Tsugaru Folksong
Screenplay
- 1971
Kigeki: Hanayome sensô
Screenplay
Tabiji: ofukuro-san yori
Screenplay
A Man's World
Original Story
- 1970
1960s
- 1969
Dear Tomorrow
Screenplay
- 1967
Falling Blossoms
Screenplay
Whispering Joe
Writer
- 1964
- 1963
The School Cap
Writer
1950s
- 1957
Eight Hours of Terror
Original Story
Camera 3
1960s
- 1968
The Wonderful Ones
Director of Photography
- 1967
Whispering Joe
Director of Photography
- 1964
